Urban MOBILITY in a Digital Age

A TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY FOR LOS ANGELES

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Urban MOBILITY in a Digital Age

A TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY FOR LOS ANGELES

PREPARED FOR THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES OFFICE OF THE MAYOR AND

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

BY ASHLEY Z. HAND, AIA, LEED AP BD+C TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY STRATEGIST

URBAN MOBILITY IN A DIGITAL AGE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This report would not have been possible without the time + contributions of many people across multiple sectors. Thank you to Seleta Reynolds, Peter Marx, the Fellowship Advisory Board, the

Technical Review Committee, the talented staff at LADOT and many others for their support + vision.

August 2016

LADOT People Street

Table of CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.....................i

ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP..............2

RADICAL DISRUPTION...................5IntroductionShared MobilityConnected + Automated VehiclesChallenges of a Changing Tech EnvironmentTransportation HappinessTime Horizon

ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT........19GoalsPlatform for InnovationData as a ServiceMobility as a ServiceInfrastructure as a Service

RECOMMENDATIONS...........................23 OverviewBuild a solid data foundationLeverage technology + design for a better

transportation experienceCreate partnerships for more shared servicesEstablish feedback loops for services + infrastructurePrepare for an automated future

PILOTS.................................................107

CONCLUSION......................................125

REFERENCES...................................127

APPENDIX....................................137Mobility Data WishlistLetter to the State of California DMVCity AV Business Plan Role DescriptionList of Interviews + Idea Exchanges

URBAN MOBILITY IN A DIGITAL AGE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pixabay/prvideotv

Executive SUMMARY

Los Angeles is a culturally rich urban metropolis that has captured the imagination of millions of creative, tech-savvy and diverse populations from around the world. With the region’s population projected to reach 22 million by 2040 (SCAG), Los Angeles must shed its reputation as a car culture or its roads will come to a standstill. The use of one vehicle per person to get around this vast metropolitan region is no longer viable, creating structural inequality, exerting extensive pressure on our infrastructure that outpaces funding, and leaving too many Angelenos stuck in traffic. As our greatest and most prevalent public asset, streets occupy 15% of Los Angeles’ total land area and serves as our city’s lifeblood (LADOT Vision Zero). There are several emerging trends in transportation technology that will help maximize limited resources to improve vehicle and roadway capacity, enhance customer experience and transportation happiness, and make our public right-of-ways safer for all Angelenos if we prepare for them now.

Urban Mobility in a Digital Age is a transportation technology strategy designed to build on the success and innovation of the City of Los Angeles and its Department of Transportation (LADOT) as regulator and transportation service provider in a complex and evolving ecosystem of public and private services. With a focus on building a solid data foundation, leveraging technology and design

Executive Summary

for a better customer experience, creating partnerships for more complimentary shared services, establish feedback loops for services and infrastructure, and preparing for an automated future, Los Angeles can refine and set the precedent for 21st Century mobility just as it did in the 20th Century. LADOT must position itself as a platform for mobility innovation that supports greater mode options by providing Data, Mobility and Infrastructure as a Service to all Angelenos.

The Vision The City of Los Angeles, like many large cities, faces many transportation challenges. In response, our policymakers have established several transportation policy goals: increasing mobility (Mobility Plan); keeping pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists safe (Vision Zero); and, improving air quality by decreasing congestion (Sustainability pLAn). With the rapid rise of technology in transportation, LADOT will need to deploy and support an ecosystem or mobility marketplace of advanced technologies to meet these policy objectives and create truly great streets for all Angelenos. To do so, LADOT must evolve into a platform for transportation innovation that focuses on three primary customer service delivery goals: data, mobility and infrastructure.

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Build a solid data foundation.1 Leverage technology + design for a better transportation experience.2 Create partnerships for more shared services.3 Prepare for an automated future.5Establish feedback loops for services + infrastructure.4

DATA AS A SERVICE + MOBILITY AS A SERVICE + INFRASTRUCTURE AS A SERVICE

PLATFORM FOR MOBILITY INNOVATIONPOLICY + IMPLEMENTATION + PILOTS

Goal 1: Data as a ServiceIn the digital age, LADOT must be able to provide and receive real-time data from an increasingly complex marketplace of public and private transportation service providers, other jurisdictions, and connected and automated vehicles to maximize the efficiency and safety of the road and transportation networks. The San Pedro Bay Port Complex, the combined ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, is the world's ninth largest container port (Port of LA). In 2015, more than 76 million passengers travel through LAX. As these gateways grow in the coming decade, so too does the demand for better logistics and more efficient infrastructure networks to keep people and goods moving.

Data as a Service is the rapid exchange of real-time conditions and service information between service providers, customers and the supporting infrastructure. This requires a seamless data exchange with a variety of partners and stakeholders, privacy and security protections, the capacity to analyze data from a variety of resources, and the ability to integrate this insight into a data-driven decision-making process at the level of elected officials and department management. This is a relatively cost-effective way to enhance connectivity and system efficiency and reliability without constructing new physical infrastructure. With better data, LADOT will be in a position to become more responsive to the transportation needs of Angelenos as both a service provider and regulator of transportation in Los Angeles. Urban Mobility in a Digital Age proposes near-term investments in data infrastructure and the public sector workforce to support this service in the future. Furthermore, Data as a Service will support the goals of Mobility and Infrastructure as a Service by tapping into critical data to best align resources to demand.

Goal 2: Mobility as a ServiceMobility as a Service centers on the customer or mobility consumer, a person who purchases and uses transportation for personal use (Shaheen). It is a single platform and payment system that offers access to a suite of transportation mode choices, often bundled together in packages. This approach requires collaboration and coordination across different transportation modes, and providers and creates a potentially competitive marketplace of services to meet the real-time and changing needs of Angelenos throughout the day, week or month, effectively transforming the single-occupant automobile owner model. While this places the burden of information exchange on public agencies and private transportation operators - both freight and passenger - Mobility as a Service can significantly improve access to jobs, education, healthcare, and other services by making it easier for Angelenos to find and utilize an increasingly complex suite of services through a single interface. This affords Angelenos more choice when determining what mode best accommodates their schedule – a key element in rider satisfaction.

LADOT has already partnered to make it easier for customers to evaluate transportation options through a trip planning application, Go LA, which compares mode options for the fastest, cheapest and/or greenest routes. Additionally, LADOT has piloted a mobile payment application for its transit services and there are plans to expand Go LA to include reservation and payment capabilities in Summer 2016. This experience with smartphone application-enabled services demonstrates the ability of LADOT in its role as a convener or advocate for regional Mobility as a Service. Urban Mobility in a Digital Age recommends LADOT establishes itself as a leading advocate for expanded access across the region

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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2015 LA Great Streets Challenge Winner, Connect the Dots, hosted three design workshops on the Van Nuys Civic Center Plaza to reimagine LA’s Great Streets at their fullest potential: serving as engaging public spaces; healthy, active transit corridors in lively economic zones; and strategic groundwater assets.

LA Great Streets

through a series of actions to better connect and integrate the existing marketplace of public and private services.

Goal 3: Infrastructure as a ServiceOur physical infrastructure requires ongoing maintenance and investment, but current funding mechanisms such as the gas tax are unable to keep up with the demand of our existing roadways. Infrastructure as a Service proposes that the use of public infrastructure should be subject to pay-as-you-go user fees that more closely align the costs associated with providing the infrastructure itself to how the infrastructure is being used. Infrastructure as a Service more transparently reflects the costs for the City of Los Angeles and other agencies to build, maintain and operate public infrastructure by charging fees for this service. With a solid data baseline, this approach can also support tiered fees to ensure there is equity in access to the public right-of-way. Infrastructure as a Service can help shift behavior by incentivizing shared mobility, promoting staggered commute times and other active transportation alternatives.

As this is a fundamental rethinking of how we pay for and access our public right-of-way, Infrastructure as a Service requires a phased approach, which is already being introduced: the State of California has launched a nine-month pilot this summer to test the concept of charging drivers for vehicle miles traveled as an alternative to the gas tax; and tolling high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on the 110 and 10 Interstates is currently in place. Urban Mobility in a Digital Age includes recommendations to build and grow digital infrastructure in Los Angeles to enable this service and recommends best practice policies and regional coordination to support this goal.

Transportation technologies will continue to create new opportunities for Angelenos, local government and regional stakeholders to better access existing services

while simultaneously creating a marketplace and demand for new transportation options. By becoming a universal platform for innovation and offering Data, Mobility and Infrastructure as a Service, LADOT can enhance connectivity and access across the city and greater metropolitan region.

Strategy ScopeThis strategy focuses predominantly on two revolutionary transportation technologies that will reshape the mobility marketplace in Los Angeles: shared mobility and connected and automated vehicles. The introduction and growth of these technologies will require an active role by the City of Los Angeles to optimize the safety, efficiency and access benefits their proponents claim. The consequences of inaction could be detrimental to the growth and prosperity of the region.

Shared mobility - the shared use of a vehicle, bicycle or other mode - is an innovative transportation strategy that enables users to gain short-term access to transportation modes as-needed. This includes both publicly and privately operated networks for public transit, on-demand ride services, carsharing, bikesharing, etc. Depending on the jurisdiction or area, shared mobility can serve as the primary mode of transit or as a complement to fixed-route bus and rail services (Shaheen, 6). The proliferation of smartphones and seemingly ubiquitous connectivity in the digital age has created a marketplace of private mobility services that connect travelers in real-time to a variety of modes and a wealth of applications to help improve the travel experience. These services have introduced new and diverse choices for Angelenos while providing more options to connect with existing public transit services.

Shared mobility services also challenge transportation agencies such as LADOT to define how these services

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Data as a Service Mobility as a Service Infrastructure as a ServiceLADOT PLATFORM FOR MOBILITY INNOVATION

Data as a Service is the rapid exchange of real-time conditions and service information between service providers, customers and the supporting infrastructure for greater system efficiency and

improved experience.

Mobility as a Service centers around the customer; it

offers access to a suite of transportation mode choices through a single platform and payment to simplify access to

mobility choices.

Infrastructure as a Service proposes that access to public infrastructure should be subject to pay-as-you-go fees that more

closely align the costs associated with providing the infrastructure to how the infrastructure is used.

should be regulated when their impact on existing services or the community at-large is not fully known (SCAG). While these services introduce a substantial opportunity to better connect Angelenos across the region, they require oversight for the protection of the public good and to ensure they do not undermine access for disadvantaged populations. While roughly two-thirds (68%) of the U.S. population has access to a smartphone, there remains a digital divide that without being directly addressed can leave entire communities behind. The transportation technology revolution, therefore, must be considered for both the digital and analog opportunities it can create to improve mobility universally.

The on-demand nature of new transportation services further challenges LADOT to consider how it approaches transit and infrastructure service delivery and the City will need greater flexibility to adapt as new services emerge. LADOT must support a quality customer experience that includes a seamless digital interface; comfortable and convenient connections; physical and digital infrastructure; safety; and access to information, big data, to make real-time decisions to respond to demand.

LADOT will have to strike a balance between the needs of existing ridership while attracting new customers to grow the use of shared modes (both public and private) and help mitigate future congestion. As there is no room to build more roads, Angelenos must shift their transportation behaviors to increase utilization of vehicle and mass transit capacity by filling empty seats and shared mobility can help meet these goals. This strategy highlights the importance of process improvement, communications, data-sharing and supporting a feedback loop to give a stronger voice to the customer while collecting input from smart city sensors that provide situational awareness on travel conditions. Shared mobility and other supportive amenities to make the trip easier can also help improve connectivity and trip efficiency while providing greater flexibility and choice.

The arrival of the self-driving or automated vehicles (AV) has caused a stir not just among transportation officials, but across the media and technology sector, capturing the imagination of many while raising complicated questions

about ethics, liability, safety and opportunity. Technology companies and auto manufacturers are actively testing this technology on our roads today. AV has the potential to transform mobility in Los Angeles by providing new populations previously unable to drive themselves with access to vehicles; eliminating human error in traffic crashes; and creating more efficiency through connected vehicle technology. It is estimated that AV will reduce crashes by 90% and save the United States economy $190 billion annually (Schmitz). LADOT must begin planning today to optimize the safety, environmental and access benefits that could be realized by this technology; otherwise, we may unintentionally see increased vehicle miles traveled, worsened congestion and unsustainable development at the urban fringe.

Ford Motor Company estimates that there will be autonomous vehicles on the roads within four years (Ungureanu). It will take time for the entire fleet of vehicles on the road to convert to autonomous, as people replace their cars, but rapid adoption is anticipated among taxi services and ride-hailing services since almost 80 percent of the cost of a ride is the driver (Gattis). While the timeline of this technology hitting the market ranges from the aggressive predictions of five to ten years to a more realistic estimate of 25 to 30 years for full fleet conversion to AV, LADOT should begin addressing some of the core outcomes today.

Through a combination of AV, car sharing and right-sizing car ownership, it is estimated that up to 85 percent of automobiles in cities can be eliminated with a significant impact on congestion and creating a sea change for the auto industry (Weikel). By creating a culture of shared mobility today and working efficiently to adapt our digital and physical infrastructure to supported AV in the future, Los Angeles can redefine the use of our public right-of-way and alleviate pressures on the built environment that currently support single occupancy vehicles and their onerous parking requirements. This strategy proposes a series of recommendations focused on urban design, real-time data exchange, preparing our digital and physical infrastructure, and piloting AV public transit as a primary opportunity to demonstrate the potential of this technology.

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Google X, one of the leaders in developing AV technologies, has completed millions of simulated hours and thousands of driving hours on the roadways of California and reports are that they plan to spin off the car into its own company.

Wikimedia Commons/Grendelkhan

ApproachWe are in no position to predict the future. The intent of this strategy is to establish a solid foundation that provides the flexibility to become more responsive and ultimately pro-active to changes in transportation technologies and customer preferences. This a vision for how LADOT can continue to integrate technology into service delivery, regulation, project evaluation and the advancement of meeting policy goals for the future of Los Angeles. LADOT and partner agencies in the public sector need to prepare and anticipate continuous technological change and innovation as the pace of change among emerging technologies accelerates.

Urban Mobility in a Digital Age defines five core objectives and outlines key policy and action items so LADOT will be better positioned to support this platform in the future. Some of these policies are administrative rules within the purview of LADOT and other departmental management to define and implement; other policy recommendations will require City Council action and a more public process for consideration. Following the policy recommendation for each goal, there are a series of actions that have been prioritized and sequenced for implementation. While some of these actions could be implemented concurrently, the time horizon is defined as:

TODAY (0-2 years): Some of these actions have already been initiated by LADOT and partners and may already have dedicated resources committed to their implementation. These actions are intended to help position LADOT for future funding opportunities,

partnerships and collaboration with other stakeholders by offering discrete action items and entry points for engagement.

TOMORROW (3-5 years): These actions may require more resources (staff and budget) and therefore need more time to be incorporated into the LADOT strategic plan. Many of these actions build upon the TODAY recommendations.

FUTURE (6+ years): These recommendations propose actions for the future that set a broader vision for how LADOT may continue to evolve and propose future outcomes to be phased in over time.

The final component of the transportation technology strategy includes a menu of pilot projects for consideration. These projects explore partnerships and new data resources; highlight opportunities to demonstrate new technologies and service delivery methods in a real-world environment; and build on the incredible innovation already underway at LADOT. These pilots are intended to provide a starting point, a learning opportunity that can help shape future policies and actions that could be scalable across the entire city and region. Implementation can be phased as resources are available and should incorporate lessons learned and new technologies as they emerge.

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The introduction of protect bike lanes and bikeshare in provide much-needed physical infrastructure and services to support active transportation in Los Angeles and offer Angelenos new, safer options to get where they need to go.

StreetsBlog L.A./Joe Linton

Build a solid data

foundation. Data will continue to

be a critical tool for effective regulators and transportation

service providers. LADOT must be better equipped to manage and evaluate the mobility

marketplace and how it is impacting the safety and access to convenient, affordable transportation solutions. This requires better data. These recommendations focus on establishing a transparent, accountable approach to big data by defining what can be shared, how it will be used, and creating privacy principles to clearly state these goals and protections of personal data. This is intended to build upon the open data initiative well-underway at the City of Los Angeles, but also requires new data resources to be effective. These policies are intended to shape how LADOT and the City of Los Angeles will share real-time transportation data with private and public sector partners while leveraging the information, consuming new data resources, and building capacity through partnership.

LADOT must maximize analytics for a deeper understanding of how services and infrastructure address the transportation and access needs of all Angelenos; this policy framework sets the stage for both internal and external capacity development by creating a pathway to partner with outside analysts while building the professional skill set and data acumen within LADOT. Furthermore, the strategy recommends regional collaboration through participation in the recently formed Coalition for Transportation Technology, a potential mechanism for setting standards, maximizing resources, and enhancing interoperability between systems that would benefit from the perspective and leadership of LADOT. Since data collection will likely require new technologies installed in the field via smart city sensors and other infrastructure retrofits, the final policy recommendation suggests creating urban design guidelines for digital infrastructure to avoid cumulative visual blight in our public right-of-way.

The TODAY recommendations focus on the assessment of existing data resources and the prioritization of a wishlist of additional data that would contribute to better transportation planning and project evaluation in this changing mobility marketplace. With the introduction of technology-enabled private transportation providers, LADOT has an incomplete picture of what options are available, how safe they are, who they are serving and whether they are providing equitable access. LADOT needs to evaluate what data is needed to better understand this marketplace and develop a roadmap that articulates whether the City of Los Angeles will be responsible for collecting this data or if LADOT will rely on

third party data resources to provide this essential information for more data-driven decision making. It will take time to transform the public sector workforce and equip it with

data analytics skills, essential to the work of this and any City in the 21st

Century, so it is recommended that in the interim LADOT establish a bench for

contractors who can help with data analysis.

The TOMORROW recommendations focus on making it easier to access and share data within LADOT, across City departments, with regional partners and other agencies. Creating data dictionaries, for instance, will clearly articulate who owns and generates data, how it is used and updated, and what is included within a dataset. Wherever there is a data standard, LADOT should work to adopt this to make it easier to share data within the City’s existing open data portal. Automating sharing for the most important and relevant datasets will help eliminate wasted time of manually sharing information and make it easier for other departments and third parties to use it. For instance, LADOT should support the automation of sharing geolocated road closure data to wayfinding applications such as Go LA and Google Waze to eliminate the need to email a pdf of permitted parade route. This will provide Angelenos with critical information while alleviating demands on LADOT staff time to support these data-sharing partnerships. The FUTURE goals will leverage this data with an empowered LADOT workforce as mobility managers that can actively consume and understand how transportation services are working (or not working) to meet the needs of the community in real-time. This will provide a solid foundation for the planning for infrastructure and transit services in the future.

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POLICY1. Define what can be shared.2. Adopt privacy principles.3. Develop a standard data sharing agreement.4. Create a regional blueprint for system integration.5. Establish design guidelines for digital

infrastructure.

TODAY (0-2 years)1. Inventory available data.2. Create a wishlist for other data sets + prioritize.3. Implement a data analysis bench contract +

grow internal analytics capacity. 4. Develop a roadmap for new data resources.

TOMORROW (3-5 years)1. Make the data easier to use with data dictionaries

and other tools.2. Adopt APIs + other tools to streamline sharing.

FUTURE (6+ years)• Leverage data to manage a more flexible

transportation system with public + private service providers.

1. Build a solid data foundation.

Leverage tech + design for a better transportation experience. Commuting can be stressful and research shows that it affects your mental and physical health as well as how you think about other people. The most stressful mode is driving whereas walking and public transit are the top two most enjoyable ways to commute, respectively (Campbell-Dollaghan). How might LADOT leverage technology to improve the daily commute for Angelenos for a healthier, happier city?

Public transit ridership remains fairly flat in the Los Angeles region (Linton). Research indicates that the two most important indicators of rider satisfaction is service frequency and schedule (Transit Center) Many of the strategies herein address network efficiency and availability of flexible options to meet schedule demands. LADOT can further increase transit ridership through a shift in travel behaviors, incentivized by a customer experience that both attracts new users and improves on the needs of existing users. In general, government struggles to design services from the perspective of the user, but technology offers new tools to engage customers, fine-tune service offerings, and respond to the needs of Angelenos. This strategy outlines a variety of approaches that put the customer first – to ease the challenge of getting around while making it easier to access information, weigh options, and choose the best transportation mode.

These recommendations support LADOT’s strategic plan to create a 21st Century traffic management system and calls for funding the proposed changes to support

the integration of digital infrastructure and smart city sensors into department operations. The Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control (ATSAC) system provides signal coordination and management for more than 4,000 signalized intersections across Los Angeles; it is the technology backbone of our road network. Built in the 1980s, ATSAC requires a significant investment to upgrade and add functionality to meet policy goals and keep up with changes in the mobility marketplace. The strategy also calls for the automation of enforcement around public transit priority lanes to make the daily commute safer and more efficient for transit riders and others sharing the road. Video-as-a-sensor technology, for example, can detect and ticket violators of bus-only lanes during peak periods to keep traffic moving.

The City of Los Angeles should adopt a customer bill of rights as a commitment to providing a quality transportation experience and define metrics for transportation happiness. Additionally, these policies call for improving the built environment for pedestrians, cyclists and those opting for shared modes such as public transit or ridesharing while eliminating rules that perhaps unintentionally support the status quo - the single occupancy vehicle - by proposing changes to land use and zoning requirements. This will require a rethinking of regulations around parking and highway dedication (road widening).

The TODAY actions include a reassessment of curb rules to improve access in the age of shared mobility; creating minimum design standards for public transit access to elevate the experience; integrating data into planning decisions, supporting fleet electrification by expanding the availability of charging station information; and “greening” the transit fleet, installing more electric charging stations, and investigating the potential of new technologies such as roadway electrification. The TOMORROW recommendations include making it easier to navigate with a unified wayfinding program; testing on-demand public transit; expanding smart parking citywide; and making it easier for employers to incentivize shared modes. The FUTURE recommendation is to introduce a universal fare system by collaborating with stakeholders across the region to make it possible to use a single payment tool to access multiple services and modes of transportation. These actions are intended to enhance transportation happiness, improve connectivity and make shared mobility more appealing to an even broader audience of Angelenos and visitors to the region.

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POLICY1. Create ATSAC 3.0.2. Enforce congestion-busting rules for safety.3. Adopt a customer bill of rights and metrics for

transportation happiness.4. Require corridor + building designs that serve

multiple modes.5. Eliminate parking minimums.6. Rethink parking garages.7. Stop widening roads.

TODAY (0-2 years)1. Code the curb to optimize access.2. Develop customer-centered requirements for

public services.3. Integrate real-time data + tech into urban design

and planning processes.4. Publish data on EV charging station locations.5. Advance fleet conversion to greener fuel.

TOMORROW (3-5 years)1. Create a unified wayfinding program.2. Route transit by demand where suitable.3. Expand ExpressPark citywide.4. Introduce a portal for employers to manage

transit benefits.

FUTURE (6+ years)• Create a universal fare system for Los Angeles.

2. Leverage tech + design for a better

transportation experience.

Create partnerships for more shared services. LADOT and the City of Los Angeles cannot address congestion by simply expanding travel lanes; this leads to induced demand and increased traffic. There are few areas in Los Angeles with the space to accommodate such expansions and little public appetite for eminent domain. And in many locations such expansions have diminished pedestrian access and safety. Shared mobility can improve the efficiency of our physically constrained roadways by increasing the capacity of vehicles, utilizing every seat in a vehicle, reducing vehicle miles traveled, and providing more choices/options that are scalable to shifting needs. With complementary land use strategies such as transit-oriented development, shared mobility could provide more Angelenos with better options and LADOT should consider ways to better deliver these services.

McKinsey identifies four major technology trends that are changing mobility. In-vehicle connectivity is creating crowdsourced information and real-time data to relieve congestion and provide new route options to drivers. The sales of plug-in and hybrid vehicles are estimated to quintuple by 2022 to 11% of the global market, reducing pollution and creating new demands on the supporting charging infrastructure. Carsharing and true ridesharing (utilizing every seat in a vehicle) will reduce the number of vehicles on the road, but increase vehicle miles traveled by 75% (in other words, fewer vehicles in constant use will make up the majority of trips). LADOT should foster new partnerships to create better access and opportunities for Angelenos willing to adopt shared mobility for even a fraction of their transportation demand.

Urban Mobility in a Digital Age includes recommendations to make it easier for new transportation services to engage with LADOT - including updating regulations (and supporting processes such as permitting) to reflect the new technology-enabled modes and services such as carsharing. In addition, LADOT should commit to reviewing existing policies and procedures to make sure they are suitable to the current mobility marketplace and open to future innovations in transportation technology. Furthermore, there needs to be a review of existing rules and regulations to ensure that the City offers a level playing field for more traditional transport services as the competition evolves. Finally, in support of an effort underway by the Department of City Planning and LADOT, the strategy recommends that the City update its transportation demand management (TDM) ordinance to reflect new transportation modes and measures to help mitigate

the impact of new development on

congestion.

The actions proposed for TODAY include partnering with the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC) to develop a shared mobility action plan. This will provide LADOT with specific next steps and proven best practices to support shared mobility in Los Angeles and will complement a countywide action plan being developed by the Shared Use Mobility Center (SUMC). The strategy recommends creating an intra-departmental mobility assessment team to foster an ongoing conversation within City Hall about the impact and opportunities presented when new transportation choices emerge. To support the emphasis on partnerships, it is also recommended that LADOT assign aan innovation pilot project manager whenever a partnership or pilot is created to ensure there is a direct point of contact and someone is responsible for tracking the outcomes.

The TOMORROW actions include introducing more shared mobility platforms to City Hall by adapting existing platforms for carsharing, bikesharing and carpooling to maximize fleet efficiency and reduce vehicle miles traveled. LADOT should develop a mobility lab through public-private partnerships and expand upon its internal technology team that is currently tasked with testing and exploring new tools and software to ensure that staff remain current on evolving technologies and have the opportunity

to work with them directly as appropriate. The FUTURE recommendation proposes LADOT

implement a comprehensive approach to Mobility as a Service, to create or support a

single platform to access transportation services and payment. LADOT should serve as both a regional advocate to advance this goal and innovative thought leader.

POLICY1. Update regulations to include new modes.2. Make it easier to work with the City of Los

Angeles + provide a level playing field.3. Adopt a revised transportation demand

management ordinance for new developments.

TODAY (0-2 years)1. Develop a shared mobility action plan.2. Form a multi-discipline mobility assessment team.3. Designate an innovation pilot project manager.

TOMORROW (3-5 years)1. Bring sharing to City Hall through carsharing,

bikesharing and carpooling platforms.2. Launch a mobility lab.

FUTURE (6+ years)• Implement Mobility as a Service.

3. Create partnerships for more shared

services.

Establish feedback loops for services + infrastructure. Cities are complex systems designed to support our daily lives. People, our priorities and needs are dynamic. LADOT must be receptive to input and feedback to enable continuous improvement and to ensure stakeholder needs are met effectively. Smart city sensors and other data can provide a dynamic view of infrastructure conditions and demand that more passively conveys the changes in our transportation system. With technology accelerating the pace of change, it will be essential for LADOT to identify new ways to ensure it understands demand and create mechanisms for integrating these shifts into its operations and management of transportation systems.

With decades of investment in public transportation services, it can be a challenge to introduce new technologies, amenities and partnerships that will disrupt these systems. Through effective performance management that involves a variety of feedback loops from customers, partners and other jurisdictions in the region, LADOT can take regular temperature checks to ensure it is on track to meet goals or pivot if there are unacceptable, unintended consequences. Private service providers have already incorporated this approach by creating reputation and ranking systems to inform the customer before a ride begins. As smartphones and social media increasingly connect people, LADOT must offer channels to receive feedback and respond to this input.

LADOT should consider policies to enable it to become a more responsive service provider to allow for shorter turnaround for data-driven decision-making. With the pace of change in technology, LADOT should not be encumbered by outmoded approaches to decision-making that might impede the department's ability to incorporate or respond to a new technology, service or tool. Linking customer feedback, for instance, to performance

management can help inform decisions to better align resources to demand. Likewise, LADOT must adopt a standard project evaluation methodology to ensure that pilots, grant-funded initiatives, and ongoing programs are evaluated by similar measures to allow for deeper analysis and understanding of their impacts. This would also provide greater consistency when LADOT publicly reports project status on the proposed project dashboard.

The TODAY actions include the formation of a working group to focus on evaluating and measuring transportation happiness and the quality of experience on public shared modes. This team would also be responsible for the ongoing evaluation of data requirements to ensure it is possible to measure the impact of services. LADOT should also investigate the deployment and optimization of technology to help assess infrastructure conditions in real-time - whether transit vehicles are equipped with sensors or smartphone apps crowdsource information on sidewalk conditions, potholes, striping, signage, etc. Providing tools to capture this information on a broad scale can help the City maintain a more routinely updated asset inventory, which will be helpful in planning maintenance and prepping infrastructure for the advent of AV. Finally, upon completion of the shared mobility action plan, LADOT should identify partners to launch a public marketing campaign to promote shared modes.

There are multiple LADOT websites that are confusing and challenging to navigate. The TOMORROW actions include streamlining online content regarding mobility services, LADOT-funded community initiatives, and other programs to a more user-friendly format. LADOT should learn from web statistics to determine what information is most useful and build on that success. As these changes are underway, LADOT must invest in developing the skills of its workforce to integrate new technology into how they work - whether in the planning or engineering processes or as part of daily field operations such as parking enforcement and transit services. LADOT should adopt a multi-modal smart fare system and advocate for the region to do the same to enable greater customization for the customer. This will provide LADOT with more detailed insight into customer behavior to adapt its services as needed.In the FUTURE, LADOT should develop a roadmap to move towards Infrastructure as a Service as outcomes of the I-110 and 10 HOV congestion pricing and California Road Charge pilot are evaluated and access to improved data continues.

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POLICY1. Become a more responsive service provider.2. Establish a project evaluation standard.

TODAY (0-2 years)1. Create a user experience working group.2. Investigate new tools for the ongoing evaluation

of infrastructure conditions.3. Engage the entire community on infrastructure

condition assessments. 4. Partner and support a marketing campaign on

shared mobility.

TOMORROW (3-5 years)1. Streamline LADOT online content + launch a

project dashboard.2. Prepare the workforce for changes driven by

innovation in transportation technology.3. Adopt a multi-modal smart fare system.

FUTURE (6+ years)• Develop a methodology to move towards

Infrastructure as a Service.

4. Establish feedback loops for services +

infrastructure.

subject matter experts to explore the feasibility for a real-time data monetization strategy as a means to support the development and maintenance of connected infrastructure. Additionally, as the State of California explores the implications of a road pricing pilot, LADOT should advocate for innovation in how infrastructure is funded and move towards Infrastructure as a Service.

The TODAY actions include the development of an AV business plan for the City of Los Angeles and will

be supported by a FUSE Corps Fellowship beginning in October 2016. The County of

Contra Costa, California is actively working towards the deployment of an AV fleet to serve first-last mile connections from public transit centers and the City of Beverly Hills has also recently announced the intent to develop its own fleet to serve a similar purpose. LADOT will compare the business case behind an automated public transit fleet versus an automated city

operations fleet and the fellowship will culminate in a specific plan as to how to

move forward. Meanwhile, LADOT should

Prepare for an automated future. When automobiles were introduced, entirely new systems of regulation, infrastructure and supporting services had to be created and these changes occurred very quickly. Transportation planners and engineers must be ready to anticipate how shared mobility and connected and automated vehicles will revolutionize mobility - creating incredible opportunity to impact our environment, economic development and equity in positive ways. However, if ignored, these technologies can have a devastating impact that could induce greater sprawl, inequity and other challenges for the city and region. Since infrastructure is built to last fifty to one hundred years, it is important to understand the potential impacts of these changing transportation technologies today and plan for them early. Investing in infrastructure upgrades will take a concerted effort over many years to attain the desired outcome of a safer, greener and more equitable transportation system.

Connected and automated vehicles (AV) would benefit from real-time information such as roadway conditions, traffic signal timing, pedestrian volumes, or traffic along bicycle networks. There are several potential challenges to relaying data from the infrastructure to vehicles in motion such as connectivity, latency, and standardization. Likewise, infrastructure managers would benefit from anonymized information from vehicles in the public right-of-way such as the path of travel and roadway conditions as this information would inform planning efforts. LADOT, having developed connected infrastructure through its ATSAC system, is well-positioned to lead the effort to build digital services and infrastructure to support this technological revolution.

The State of California Department of Motor Vehicles will be developing rules for AV on public streets and LADOT has already advocated for more innovative regulations. As the largest city in the state, Los Angeles must take an active role to advocate for new technologies and enabling regulations that will make our city streets safer, more accessible and sustainable. Furthermore, LADOT should work with regional stakeholders through the recently-formed Coalition for Transportation Technology, which currently includes representatives from Caltrans, Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), Metro, County of Los Angeles and City of Los Angeles, to advance policies to promote better interoperability between jurisdictions - from data and communications to digital infrastructure and wayfinding. Technology is already able to enable communications between vehicles and infrastructure which might be an opportunity to generate new fees to support digital infrastructure; LADOT should convene a working group of

POLICY1. Call for mobility innovation in California.2. Collaborate regionally to promote interoperability.3. Launch a taskforce on data monetization

strategies.4. Advocate for new approaches to financing

infrastructure projects.

TODAY (0-2 years)1. Develop a business plan for a city-owned

automated fleet.2. Create a dedicated staff position focused on

connected and automated vehicle technologies.3. Implement blind spot detection systems for

public transit vehicles.4. Expand LADOT connected bus technologies

fleet-wide.5. Invest in lane markings that enhance

effectiveness of lane departure warning and prevention systems.

TOMORROW (3-5 years)1. Create better access to ATSAC data and

enhance transparency of network prioritization for planning.

2. Develop an automated vehicle road network along transit and enhanced vehicle networks.

3. Launch a Data as a Service program to provide real-time infrastructure data to connected vehicles.

FUTURE (6+ years)• Convert the public transit vehicle fleet to fully

autonomous.

5. Prepare for an automated future.

consider establishing a full-time staff position to track changes in AV technologies, provide policy guidance on an ongoing basis as new federal and state regulations develop, and work with LADOT planners and engineers to coordinate the integration of this technology into planning and operations. Additional actions for TODAY include the integration of blind-spot detection sensors onto LADOT transit vehicles and the expansion of connected vehicle technologies across the entire LADOT transit fleet to help improve safety and meet the City's Vision Zero plan. These technologies make it easier for bus operators to get real-time information, improve rider experience by providing amenities such as real-time arrival information and public WiFi, and provide a flexible communications platform for adding sensor technologies in the future. A final proposed action will require partnership with an auto company as it will leverage existing connected vehicle technologies, lane departure warning systems, to make our public right-of-way safer. As the City of Los Angeles plans to resurface 2,200 lane miles of roadway each year, LADOT should integrate lane markings that are detectable by vehicle sensors to protect cyclists in bike lanes and pedestrians

in crosswalks wherever feasible. The standards for lane markings to support AV have not yet been determined but LADOT can work with auto manufacturers to pilot solutions that could lead to the development of these standards.

The TOMORROW actions recommend creating better access to ATSAC data, including considering policies around video retention, to make it easier to use and incorporate into transportation planning at LADOT. This will also require greater transparency on system hierarchies and signal prioritization which will be useful for service planning and scheduling as well as development review. In addition, LADOT should develop an AV network along the enhanced vehicle and transit networks, as defined in the Mobility Plan, to focus investment on connected infrastructure. LADOT should also prepare to launch a real-time data exchange services for connected infrastructure and vehicles which will require preparation and investment in data warehousing, communication capabilities and supporting policies for Data as a Service.

The FUTURE actions will build upon the work proposed and call for LADOT to convert its public transit to fully automated vehicles. As this technology evolves and AV capabilities are tested and standardized, LADOT should prepare to rethink its operations and how it will train its workforce to meet the needs of an automated fleet. This will require redefining job responsibilities and adapting the workforce to serve new functions.

Pilot ProposalsThe increasingly rapid pace of change can make it difficult to identify what transportation technologies will prevail over time and the lack of standardization can make it difficult to invest public funds into new technologies, service delivery models, and partnerships. Meanwhile, there are a variety of potential funding resources now available at the federal, state and regional level that LADOT could tap moving forward and being prepared with a variety of potential initiatives will help position the City for success.

LADOT should adopt an approach to piloting new ideas to mitigate some of the risks associated with being an early adopter while providing a valuable opportunity to establish metrics for success and learn from a smaller scale demonstrations. Identifying partners in academia, the private sector and across the region can provide LADOT with both the initial subject matter expertise, funding and capacity to support these explorations, as well as create a pipeline of resources for scaling a successful pilot into successful implementation across Los Angeles. These pilots should follow the same rigor of project evaluation and reporting, and they should be given the attention of a designated LADOT project manager as described in the strategy recommendations to ensure the organization can benefit from lessons learned for future applications. The strategy also defines a methodology for how to identify whether a pilot targets a specific geography (a corridor or district) or market (customer or mode).

In June 2016, the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) released policy guidelines for fully-automated vehicles to:• Promote safety for pedestrians, bicyclists,

transit riders, automated vehicle passengers, and all street users within the multi-modal urban context;

• Incentivize shared, automated, electric vehicles to reduce the environmental impacts of vehicular travel and refocus planning on the principle of mobility as a service;

• Support the future vision of communities as great places to live, work, and play by using technology as a tool to change land use as well as how streets are built;

• Rebalance the use of the right-of-way with less space for cars and more space for people walking, cycling, using transit and recreating;

• Support public transit by providing first and last mile connections to major transit lines via shared, automated vehicles, and by providing cost-effective, on-demand transit in lieu of lowperforming fixed routes; and

• Improve mobility for all, contributing to a more equitable transportation system, where benefits reach all demographics and any negative effects are not unjustly concentrated (NACTO).

Urban Mobility in a Digital Age details a variety of references and best practices for reference as additional background for the recommendations.

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xi

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

xii

Data as a Service is the rapid exchange

of real-time condition and service information between customers, service providers, government and the supporting infrastructure to optimize safety, efficiency and the transportation experience. These pilots are opportunities to move LADOT towards Data as a Service by giving the staff experience in managing and optimizing data-sharing partnerships, exploring the value of analytics, and testing new tools.

Analyze crowdsourced data for roadway design impacts on congestion.Through existing data sharing agreements with Google Waze and Xerox's Go LA application, LADOT has access to crowdsourced information about congestion and trip planning preferences that could offer a valuable planning and project evaluation resource over time. This data should be included in the data inventory. The available Google Waze data could provide LADOT with insight into how road diets and protected bike lanes, for instance, impact traffic flow and even the perception of congestion. LADOT should partner to analyze this data and report on the potential opportunities (and potential limitations) that crowdsourced data offers to project evaluation.

Test customer feedback tools on public services.In the digital age, there is a plethora of accessible feedback tools and platforms that would give LADOT better insight into how satisfied Angelenos are with their mobility experience - whether walking, biking or taking public transit. For example, private transportation services, such as ride-hailing services, provide the means for customers to rate service and access this information in advance of taking a trip. LADOT should test both direct and passive channels and establish a model to measure transportation effectiveness and happiness.

Develop an online project dashboard for this strategy.There is a lot of innovative work underway, but timelines varies because of how a project is funded, who is executing the work, what is being analyzed, etc. One of the proposed actions recommends creating a project dashboard to make this work more transparent to stakeholders. In the meantime, LADOT should pilot

an online project dashboard for this strategy to track status and metrics on these proposed projects. Outlining the work underway, funded or planned

would simultaneously serve as a valuable internal exercise for

LADOT while creating a new channel for the community and potential partners

to engage with its government. One such means to measure success is by monitoring

web traffic.

Deploy connected infrastructure technologies in Promise Zones.Technology makes it possible to relay critical real-time information from our infrastructure to vehicles, smartphones and other receivers to make our public right-of-way safer, smarter and more efficient. Sensors at crosswalks can detect waiting pedestrians and automatically change signals; buses can sense bicyclists and pedestrians in blind spots and stop the vehicle to avoid a collision; streetlights and traffic signals can be programmed to detect when a vehicle is rapidly approaching an intersection and hold a change of lights to avoid a crash. LADOT should deploy a pilot of these sensors and other real-time communication technologies to better understand how this data can be integrated into its traffic management center operations. By focusing on the Promise Zones within Los Angeles, communities that are proportionally more dependent on public transit and active transportation, LADOT will be better positioned to leverage potential funding from the federal government and benefit from the deployment of multiple technologies in a limited geographic area.

Experiment with parking inventory technologies.Trip planners typically account for the estimated time of travel from Point A to Point B, and often factor historical congestion data into their algorithms. However, the cruising time and distance traveled to find parking - estimated to cause 30% of congestion (Shoup) - is not factored into these tools. With existing smart parking capabilities and technology companies such as Sidewalk Labs investigating new ways to capture available parking, data on parking rules, and payment information can not only help make it easier to find available spots, but even pay for parking. LADOT start with an inventory pilot to understand what is available and eventually move to understanding parking in real-time to make it easier for drivers to find what they are looking for, help set a better pricing strategy, reduce congestion, and potentially encourage mode shift by more accurately reflecting total trip time.

Data as a

Service

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xiii

Mobility as a Service centers on the customer; it provides a suite of transportation mode choices through a single platform and payment system to simplify access to mobility choices. While many elements to deploy a true Mobility as a Service model in the region are beyond LADOT's jurisdiction, these pilots can demonstrate how more shared mobility options, better connectivity, and improved interoperability between modes can shift travel behaviors for Angelenos.

Launch mobility hubs to integrate + connect modes.LADOT, in partnership with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), is piloting a federally funded project to develop ten (10) mobility integrated hubs and dozens of satellite hubs. The vision is to create seamless connectivity between various modes of transportation through a single, integrated platform (LADOT Bike Blog). Mobility hubs, to be located at transit stations and new private developments, are a physical translation of the Mobility as a Service model. These hubs will provide first-last mile connectivity and on-demand services such as bikeshare, carshare, bike repair and storage, fare payment, etc. LADOT should establish an open toolkit for implementing scalable, context-sensitive mobility hubs and the City of Los Angeles should seek to implement this model at strategic public facilities - to serve both Angelenos and City staff. LADOT should identify non-mobility services that could be co-located within the mobility hub model. In Washington D.C., for example, a pilot with the online grocer Peapod is being tested at three stations. This allows transit riders to pick-up fresh groceries on their way home from an on-site attendant between the hours of 4PM to 7PM.

Pilot on-demand transit.LADOT DASH is an affordable neighborhood circulator bus service. Resources are limited, however, to extend this fixed-route, fixed-schedule service to new neighborhoods and limited hours of operation may impede adoption by new riders. For lower density neighborhoods seeking new transportation choices, LADOT should explore a public-private partnership to deploy microtransit services, on-demand shared shuttles, and assess how this might improve connectivity to other transportation modes, shift travel behavior, reduce single occupancy vehicle trips, and ultimately improve customer satisfaction.

Expand shared services to low-income neighborhoods citywide.The City of Los Angeles is working to deploy the City's first carsharing fleet of electric vehicles. This initial pilot is already funded by a $1.6 Million California Air Resources Board (CARB) grant. In addition to EV and hybrid fleet vehicles, the program will provide 100 Level 2 charging stations to support the pilot neighborhoods of Downtown Los Angeles, Westlake, Pico-Union, South Los Angeles and Koreatown. LADOT must evaluate regulatory constraints to expanding carsharing services citywide; potential access issues for communities that are “unbanked” or have limited access to technology; and, the challenges of behavior change when introducing a new transportation choice to a population. LADOT will benefit

immensely from tracking the progress of this pilot initiative and evaluating how

this could potentially be scaled across other disadvantaged

neighborhoods.

Test smart fares.Today's payment system technology makes it possible to structure fare systems to different market segments, offering greater customization and flexibility in the fare structure. This would make buying transportation services more like a cellphone plan where services can be bundled and data can be purchased as appropriate to the needs of the customer. Smart fares empower the customer to choose from a menu such as off-peak usage, trip chain, frequency of use, and willingness to share their plan with a family member (Davidson), and affords LADOT and other agencies greater flexibility in pricing services.

Mobility as a

Service

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

xiv

Infrastructure as a Service is the idea that the use and access of public infrastructure should be subject to pay-as-you-go user fees that more closely aligns the costs associated with providing the infrastructure itself to how the infrastructure is being used. Since full-scale implementation of this model is contingent on state legislation and requires standardization, these pilots introduce interim ways to deploy technologies to respond more efficiently to changing infrastructure demand while testing public appetite for new approaches.

Deploy temporary car-free zones across the city.Dense commercial centers could offer opportunities to introduce more car-free streets that limit access for single occupancy vehicles on either a partial (road diet), temporary or permanent basis. LADOT should leverage planned and new infrastructure services such as LED streetlights, protected bike lanes, sidewalks, and roadway resurfacing and painting to expedite road closures and visibly communicate these zones around Los Angeles. CicLAvia, for example, is the largest open streets event in North America (CicLAvia). The CicLAvia Heart of LA route connects six miles of roadway through the neighborhoods of Boyle Heights, the Arts District, Little Tokyo, Civic Center, Chinatown, the Historic Core and Macarthur Park, and could be a potential partner to test implementing infrastructure enhancements to support this regular road closure event making it less costly to host. LADOT should partner with the event organizers and other city departments to develop an implementation plan to quickly execute these changes.

Test assumptions around roadway capacity + utilization.Standards define how the public right-of-way is designed and new state policies are requiring new measures that will shift away from level of service (LOS) to vehicle miles traveled (VMT). LADOT has access to data through ATSAC, its traffic management center, and other regional systems and partners that could validate our assumptions about how we use our roads during peak periods. Additional data may be required to fully understand

the real-time environment but can potentially be captured

through smart city

technologies available today. LADOT should capture and analyze this data around speed and traffic counts to develop an annual review of roadway capacity as a benchmark for future changes to land use, transportation modes, and roadway design.

Identify new infrastructure assessment tools.What if the City's fleet of service vehicles and transit buses could collect real-time infrastructure condition information to update asset inventories regularly? This data would be valuable not only for the prioritization of public right-of-way improvements, but also for future automated vehicles, which will need clear roadway striping and signage to make it easier to navigate across Los Angeles. LADOT should issue a Request for Information (RFI) to assess potential solutions and consider a pilot deployment.

Launch an AV pilot.Public transit is shared mobility that operates on a fixed schedule and route can provide considerable opportunity to introduce connected and automated vehicles to the public right-of-way in Los Angeles. Alternatively, the City has a large fleet of vehicles that support a variety of operations citywide. As a follow-up to the transportation technology strategy fellowship, LADOT will be hiring a FUSE Fellow in October 2016 to develop a business plan for the City of Los Angeles to deploy a municipal fleet of connected and automated vehicles, and will evaluate the trade-offs of either application. LADOT should plan to pilot a deployment as a test of the business plan and consider coupling the pilot with connected infrastructure.

Pilot an AV network on city streets + incentivize sharing.Cities around the globe have implemented road pricing models to help discourage single occupancy vehicles,

encourage more fuel-efficient vehicles, and promote a mode shift to more shared

mobility. The peak travel periods in Los Angeles see considerable

congestion, which could be mitigated by implementing a road pricing pilot on the most congested roads. As an interim solution, the City of Los Angeles should pilot a local street network, with priority lanes for AV shared vehicles, to understand how connected

infrastructure and incentives can improve mobility. This pilot will

require state support.

Infrastructure as a

Service

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xv

ConclusionLADOT proactively sought external resources to develop a transportation technology strategy with the understanding that technological innovation is reshaping transportation today. By looking forward and preparing now for future changes, the City can better leverage technology to make transportation more accessible,

convenient, affordable, safer and better connected. LADOT must accelerate its role in planning for the impacts and benefits of shared mobility, automated vehicles and other transportation technologies by transforming into a platform for transportation innovation so to meet policy objectives and create truly great streets for all Angelenos.

Build a solid data foundation.1 Leverage technology + design for a better transportation experience.2 Create partnerships for more shared services.3 Prepare for an automated future.5Establish feedback loops for services + infrastructure.4

DATA AS A SERVICE + MOBILITY AS A SERVICE + INFRASTRUCTURE AS A SERVICE

PLATFORM FOR MOBILITY INNOVATIONPOLICY + IMPLEMENTATION + PILOTS

LADOT / Jim Simmons

Transportation Tech STRATEGY

1

URBAN MOBILITY IN A DIGITAL AGE

The FellowshipThis Transportation Technology Strategy was funded and developed through a one-year fellowship by the Goldhirsh Foundation in partnership with the Mayor's Fund of Los Angeles. The City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) sought additional capacity to examine the changing trends in transportation technology and its impact on the organization, the services it provides, and the overall mobility marketplace in Los Angeles. The citywide strategy outlines the future of mobility in Los Angeles through policy and pilot project recommendations to help ensure a safe, equitable and sustainable future for the city.

Working closely with former Chief Technology Officer Peter Marx and reporting to LADOT General Manager Seleta Reynolds, the transportation technology strategist was additionally supported by an advisory board representing national expertise on issues ranging from transportation planning, technology, shared mobility. The strategist relied on an extensive literature review, attending conferences and webinars, and hosted interviews of a broad range of national stakeholders and subject matter experts. In addition, an internal city team provided further support as a technical review committee that reviewed the strategy while it was under development.

The Goldhirsh Foundation, which has been making grants for almost a decade, seeks to connect the dots between the best emerging innovations and the financial, social, and human capital to make them thrive. More information, including the My LA2050 Grants Challenge, is available at goldhirshfoundation.org.

The Mayor's Fund of Los Angeles is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving life for all Angelenos. Uniquely position at the crossroads of local government, business, philanthropy, and the nonprofit sector, the Fund facilitates the communication and collaboration vital to solving Los Angeles' most complex challenges. More information on the Fund can be found online at mayorsfundla.org.

The FellowAshley Z. Hand, AIA, LEED AP BD+C was appointed as the Transportation Technology Strategist for LADOT in August 2015. Previously, Ashley served Mayor Sylvester "Sly" James as the first Chief Innovation Officer of the City of Kansas City, Missouri and the first female municipal CIO in the country. Working collaboratively across departments, Ashley focused on process improvement and developing a digital roadmap through strategic planning, staff involvement and the use of lean methodology and design thinking. In addition, she championed an unprecedented public-private partnership to make Kansas City the most comprehensive smart city in North America by bringing digital infrastructure to a new downtown streetcar. Prior to joining the public sector, Ashley was an architectural designer and planner for the global firm AECOM where she worked with public and private sector clients across North America to adopt sustainable best practices and process improvement through community engagement, policy, and change management. Ashley holds a BA in political science from McGill University and a Masters of Architecture from the Pratt Institute and is a registered architect in the State of Missouri and certified green building professional.

About the FELLOWSHIP

Advisory BoardRyan C.C. Chin, Ph.D. Managing Director, City Science Initiative MIT Media Lab

Benjamin de la Pena Director, Community + National Strategy The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Gabe Klein Special Venture Partner Fontinalis Partners, LLC

Jeremy Klop Principal + Senior Market Leader Fehr and Peers

Corinne Kisner Director of Policy and Special Projects National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO)

Peter Marx Former Chief Technology Officer City of Los Angeles

Ronald Milam Director of Technical Development Fehr and Peers

Mony Patel Senior Systems Analyst II, Transportation City of Los Angeles

Seleta Reynolds General Manager, Transportation City of Los Angeles

Matthew Ridgway Principal and President, DC Fehr and Peers

Tara Roth President Goldhirsh Foundation

Susan A. Shaheen, Ph.D. Adjunct Professor and Co-Director Transportation Sustainability Research Center University of California, Berkeley

Anthony Townsend Principal Consultant Bits + Atoms

Jarrett Walker Principal Consultant Jarrett Walker + Associates

Technical Review CommitteeMarco Anderson Southern California Association of Governments

Timothy Black Department of Transportation

Claire Bowin Department of City Planning

Jennifer Cohen Department of Transportation

Nat Gale Department of Transportation

Jay Kim Department of Transportation

My La Department of City Planning

Marcel Porras Department of Transportation

Bridget Smith Department of Transportation

David Somers Department of City Planning

Jacqui Swartz Department of Transportation

3

URBAN MOBILITY IN A DIGITAL AGE

Radical DISRUPTION

Google

IntroductionWhy does Los Angeles need a strategy for technology and transportation? Technological innovation is occurring at a mind boggling pace - introducing new services, transforming customer expectations, and disrupting everything from how we see the world around us to the way we move through it. With two thirds of Angelenos having smartphones (Pew Research, 2013) and a focus on closing the digital divide, it becomes essential to consider how transportation technologies will transform urban mobility options, impact land use and urban design, and introduce new disruption for local government as a regulator and service provider. While technology is not a panacea for the many challenges of urban and regional transportation, it offers LADOT and the City of Los Angeles a chance to rethink how we manage our public right-of-way, provide and partner to offer world-class services, and understand how to best meet the needs of our city.

The city and region are growing. Will traffic come to a standstill? Over the next decade, Los Angeles County anticipates continued growth although at a lesser rate than previously predicted with recent declines in immigration and birth rates. Demographers continue to remind us of the growing number of senior citizens – to so-called silver tsunami – as the baby boomer generation will all hit 65 or older within the next 15 years. These changes have enormous policy and economic implications as the demand for elder services and care needs to be managed and funded (Gazzar) and transportation services must evolve to meet these needs so this population may maintain their independence. In the 2016 Southern California Association of Government (SCAG) Regional Transportation Plan, several key trends are highlighted:

• Southern California is projected to grow to 22 million by 2040 which is an increase of nearly four million people;

• Tax revenues may decline with as the aging population will be greater than the working population (15 to 64

years old); • More people will desire more urban lifestyles which

impacts demand for transportation and housing;• Housing prices are increasing and people will still

choose to drive alone;• Moving goods around the region becomes a bigger

challenge with growing consumer demand; and• Impacts on our public health, environment and quality

of life will be increase without a shift in transportation behavior (SCAG).

With this anticipated growth in the region, there are real concerns about the impact on traffic and congestion as our infrastructure strains to meet the needs of the growing population. However, it has been demonstrated time and again in cities across the globe that widening roads or building new infrastructure does not affect sustainable change to congestion. Los Angeles must evolve more creatively to address the pending challenges it will face as a result of its ongoing growth.

Transportation technology can offer the city, its residents and visitors, improved mobility options when congestion might otherwise get worse. Applications that help Angelenos share rides, maximizing the capacity of existing vehicles, for example, can greatly improve the efficiency of our existing public right-of-way while improving the overall mobility experience. Technology-enabled shared mobility services such as bikeshare can offer convenient alternatives to driving by providing a flexible resource for short trips. Technology-enabled services will provide seamless connectivity, better mode coordination and greater flexibility for Angelenos to choose how they want to get around and make it easy to pay for their transportation choices through a single platform. In the not so distant future, automated vehicles will provide safe, clean connections from public transit networks to final destinations across the region. In anticipation of these opportunities, LADOT and the City of Los Angeles must adopt a roadmap to prepare now for this growth to maximize community benefits with limited resources. Without action, the city and its communities are subject to the potentially catastrophic outcomes for the health and welfare of the city.

Radical disruption

URBAN MOBILITY IN A DIGITAL AGE

5

Los Angeles is a huge consumer of transportation but the status quo is unsustainable. A bustling city and sprawling region of neighborhoods, commercial centers and corridors, Los Angeles has always been a major consumer of transportation. Despite its geographic scale, Los Angeles is the densest metropolitan area in the country - while our Downtown and other central business districts may not be as dense as Manhattan or downtown Chicago, the surrounding neighborhoods and suburbs are much denser than other urbanized areas (Sorensen, 21). The Los Angeles urbanized area has 5,551 persons per square mile, for example, compared to 4,313 persons per square mile in New York-Northeastern NJ (FHWA). However, our perception of sprawl is linked to the way people get around: since Angelenos take most of their trips by car, we perceive the region as low density. We generally think that places where people frequently walk, cycle or take transit tend to have higher population density. The region’s combination of high, evenly distributed density means it jointly suffers from problems typical of density such as traffic congestion and poor air quality but lacks the benefits such as fast and effective public transportation and vibrant street life (Eidlin).

Typically density drives down the need to drive since trip destinations and origins are closer. Los Angeles is an anomaly. Los Angeles has a surprisingly high level of per-capita vehicle miles traveled (VMT) relative to its density due in part to policies supporting too much parking (and therefore making more people drive) and land use (people have to travel farther to live their lives) (Sorensen, 22-23). The Los Angeles urbanized area has an annual average daily traffic (AADT) on its freeways of 193,875 (compared to the second highest AADT of San Francisco-Oakland at 145, 461) (FHWA). This is a polycentric region with many edge cities – a term used to describe a concentration

of business, shopping and entertainment outside a traditional downtown or central business district. High-density areas such as Santa Monica, Culver City, Century City, Long Beach, Pasadena and Glendale contribute to long distances between where Angelenos work, live and play, making it harder to get around without a personal vehicle. In addition, the availability of free and abundant parking makes it easier to choose to drive because it appears to be more convenient and while cities like San Francisco and New York restrict off-street parking, the City of Los Angeles requires it (Manville and Shoup, 5). Yet, it is estimated that roughly 30% of traffic congestion is caused by people cruising for parking spots – which adds up to a lot of wasted time, wasted fuel, and a negative impact on our air quality (Shoup). How, then, can we shift towards incorporating more sustainable, efficient transportation options to accommodate more people, more effectively while providing a higher quality of service through improved connectivity?LA is a huge investor in infrastructure with extensive built and technological assets.

Angelenos drive a lot and often alone. Unfortunately, Angelenos are all too familiar with the woes of traffic and waste more than 60 hours a year commuting, stuck and frustrated as they try to get around the city (Werbach). This is not unique to Los Angeles; the average private car in the United States only carries 1.6 people (Schmitt) although most are built to carry many more. We underutilize much of our existing roadway capacity because vehicles are not being used at their maximum capacity. Changing this is as simple (and complex) as changing our travel behavior. It is possible to improve the overall network capacity through incentives (workplace benefits, e.g.) or disincentives (expensive parking, e.g.) and this transportation technology strategy will outline opportunities to improve our transportation investments - whether it is a personal vehicle or access to public transport.

82% density of the central city12% density

35% density

LA SFNYC503 SQ MI304.6 SQ MI

3,450.2 SQ MI

URBANIZED AREA 1,736.0 SQ MI

523.6 sq.mi.

46.8 SQ MI

When comparing the density of the urbanized areas of Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco - which includes the suburbs as well - Los Angeles prevails as densest even though the City of Los Angeles is not as dense as compared to these other cities (adapted from Manville and Shoup).

RADICAL DISRUPTION

6

The Los Angeles region made a significant commitment to improve transportation when it approved a half-cent sales tax to expand public transit across the region. Measure R, which took effect in July 2009, has been used to finance new transportation projects and accelerate those in the pipeline with the hopes of alleviating the pressure on our roadways to move people around the region. Years later, with the extension of light rail nearing completion and new subway extensions hitting major milestones in construction, there has been no noticeable improvement in congestion and ridership has not grown with the availability of new services as anticipated. Since much of the public transit system (our buses) does not have access to dedicated right-of-way, it is often stuck in the same traffic as everyone else which impacts the user experience and makes it less appealing. The network of subway and light rail does not yet provide complete coverage geographically nor does it offer around the clock service; people must rely on buses or other modes to connect to their final destination. The Measure R investment is improving the transportation network, however, and the impacts will accumulate in the years to come.

A second ballot initiative, scheduled for November 2016, could generate additional revenue over the next few decades to further connect the system and support infrastructure improvements. The final list of projects are still being determined but the proposed investments should make public transit easier and more convenient to use. As the population grows, the demands on our infrastructure will also expand as transportation consumption increases. If there are no changes to policies around parking, land use, or transportation technology, there will be limited ability to grow beyond the existing network capacity. Maximizing the utility of the public right-of-way while expanding access to shared mobility options will maximize capacity on our roads and improve the use of resources.

LADOT provides direct transit services to Angelenos such as DASH, Commuter Express and Access rides which help people move around neighborhoods, travel longer

distances into central business districts, and provide an essential service to people might not be able to ride traditional transit or drive themselves. In early July 2016, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) and the City of Los Angeles introduced bikeshare as an extension of the public transit network which will provide another option for local connections in a city that has beautiful weather most of the year. LADOT is also developing a mobility hub pilot to better connect multiple modes of transportation by co-locating transport, supportive services such as bike repair, and information at centralized locations.

Technology has enabled the introduction of new transportation choices in Los Angeles. Smartphones and other technologies have led to the emergence of a sharing economy, making it possible to better connect Angelenos who need to move around with resources to help them get there. The private sector has introduced a variety of transportation options in recent years. Carsharing services, for instance, enable Angelenos to borrow a car on a short term basis or even loan their car to others when not in use. Shared mobility services offer additional choices to those who prefer not to drive themselves and have disrupted traditional transportation services such

VMT per capita is the total annual miles of vehicle travel divided by the total population in a state or urbanized area. According to the US Department of Transportation, decreasing annual VMT per capita can directly improve air quality and the overall health of a population.

A 2004 study in Atlanta, Georgia found that each additional hour per day spent in a car was associated with a 6% increase in a person’s risk for obesity (Frank et. al.). VMT is lower in walkable, compact communities with strong public transportation systems. Transportation decision makers can use data on VMT per capita to track the effects of policies and strategies to reduce traffic on the road (USDOT). Metro

URBAN MOBILITY IN A DIGITAL AGE

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In a 2016 study of the one-way carsharing service car2go in five different North American markets, researchers determined that for every car2go vehicle on the street, members sold between one and three personal vehicles and avoided buying between four and nine vehicles. This culminates in as many as 11 personal cars being removed from the road and the estimated suppression of 6 to 12 million vehicle miles traveled due to the availability of a carsharing service (Martin and Shaheen).

as taxis with a great deal of media and fanfare. It is still not clear what impact these private services have had on public transportation and mobility as a whole since there is currently limited data for evaluation. There is a growing body of empirical research that demonstrates how shared mobility can change travel behaviors and even reduce vehicle ownership as is evident in the prolific work of the Transportation Sustainability Research Center, among other organizations. However, city regulators require more real-time data to fully understand the impacts on congestion, safety, or convenience in moving around as a whole. Furthermore, with all of these available services, both public and private, Angelenos are still paying a great deal to get around the city and region as transportation remains the second highest household cost behind housing. LADOT must take a comprehensive approach to mobility management; balance safety, equity and access; and track how new metrics to understand the changes these transportation technologies will have on the transportation ecosystem in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles is a huge investor in infrastructure with extensive built and technological assets.The physical evidence of our current transportation choices is everywhere: freeways packed with vehicles; expansive and often underutilized parking lots; High Injury Network where the highest concentration of collisions occur; broken sidewalks; empty buses; lack of bicycle infrastructure, etc. Los Angeles has the densest road network among the nation’s 14 largest metropolitan areas, providing over 50 percent more than the next city, Detroit (Sorensen, 21) and much of this infrastructure is dedicated to the tradition of driving alone. The City of Los Angeles has approximately 28,000 lane miles of streets making it the largest municipal street system in the nation (Bureau of Street Services). Maintaining this road and sidewalk network in a state of good repair requires a significant annual investment. The City of Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services is charged with repaving 2,200 lane miles of roadway per year which presents a considerable opportunity to rethink how this infrastructure will serve the needs of future generations by potentially embedding new technologies or adapting striping and signage to support a future with automated vehicles.

For generations, roads in the Unite